‘The Westies’: Tom Brittney Joins Titus Welliver in J.K. Simmons-Led Crime Drama
Set on the mean streets of 1980s Hell’s Kitchen, MGM+’s upcoming crime drama The Westies is a gritty underworld saga about the infamous Irish-American crime syndicate. Small in number but ruthless in execution, the gang made up for their size with sheer brutality and enough street smarts to remain both dangerous and lethal.
Headlined by an Oscar winner and backed by a creative team with an impressive pedigree, The Westies has all the makings of a breakout hit. As the show continues to take shape, crime drama fans are eager for answers: Who will star, and when will it premiere?
Here is everything we know about the new series thus far.
What is The Westies about?
Set during the Reagan-era Manhattan, when yuppies ruled Wall Street and Hell’s Kitchen was still years away from its first Starbucks, The Westies centers on the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in the gang’s turf. The project promises a financial windfall for the Irish-American crew, but tensions rise as they face pressure from rival families, as well as internal strife driven by a growing generational divide.
With growing tension among members over recent dealings with the Gambino crime family and mounting pressure from both local and federal law enforcement, The Westies packs enough simmering drama to keep any audience hooked.
Who stars in The Westies?
Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons will headline the period crime drama as Eamon Sweeney, the ruthless head of the Irish-American crime syndicate who hides his ambition and brutality behind a disarming charm.
Titus Welliver joins the cast as Glenn Keenan, an NYPD officer with deep ties to the Westies, having grown up alongside many of the crew in Hell’s Kitchen. The series is expected to explore Keenan’s divided loyalties between his found family and his duty to uphold the law.
Jessica Frances Dukes will portray Birdie Polk, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Gambino Task Force.
Tom Brittney also joins the cast as James “Jimmy” Roarke, the ambitious leader of the Westies’ younger generation who looks to Sweeney as a mentor.
Who created The Westies?
Showrunner Chris Brancato will executive produce the series alongside Michael Panes. The eight-episode series marks Brancato’s third project with MGM+, following the success of his critically acclaimed Godfather of Harlem, starring Forest Whitaker, and the crime thriller Hotel Cocaine, starring Danny Pino. Brancato also created Netflix’s hit series Narcos, which starred Pedro Pascal and Wagner Moura.
“The Westies has been a passion project of mine, and I can’t wait to bring it to life,” Brancato said in a statement. “This is a story about ambition, loyalty, and power, set against the backdrop of 1980s New York. I’m grateful to be working again alongside my collaborator Michael Panes and, most especially, with Michael Wright and the entire MGM+ team.”
When will The Westies premiere?
Production on The Westies is set to begin in July in Toronto. No date has been set as of yet for the premiere.
The Westies, TBA, MGM+
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